Mark Wingett from The Bill
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The Bill actor Mark Wingett explains why ITV cop drama ‘will never come back’

Gutted for fans

Mark Wingett, former star of The Bill, has cast doubt on the possibility of the show ever returning to screens.

The actor, 59, played Jim Carver in the long-running ITV cop drama.

Speaking recently, he explained that while many viewers miss the programme, he doesn’t think “it will ever come” back.

What did Mark say?

Mark Wingett from The Bill
Mark Wingett from The Bill has said it likely won’t ever come back (Credit: PinPep/Cover Images)

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Mark said: “People still think of The Bill fondly. They really miss it.
“And there hasn’t been a proper uniform police series since it finished. But I don’t think it will ever come back.

“When it was on, it grew from a small studio into this huge thing that had 500 people working on it. So it would be very hard to start it again from scratch. It would have to be a new series with a new title and a new cast. I’m certainly too old for it now!”

Mark Wingett in The Bill
Mark played Jim Carver in the long-running cop drama (Credit: ITV)

Elsewhere in the chat, Mark said he thinks one of the things making a revival unlikely is the evolution of Britain’s police forces

The Bill originally aired from 1983 until 2010.

They really miss it.

He continued, speaking to the Daily Star Sunday newspaper: “Staffing numbers are different and things are policed in a different way.”

Times have changed

Mark added that it would be a “very different show” if it did return, because “things are much more violent now” and there is “a lot more” terrorism.

It follows an interview with former The Bill star Trudie Goodwin, in which she insisted the show should not have been axed.

Trudie Goodwin on This Morning
Trudie Goodwin was on This Morning earlier this month (Credit: ITV)

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The Sergeant June Ackland actress admitted its cancellation left her “disappointed”.

She confessed on This Morning: “I was so disappointed it finished. I thought there was no reason really why it should have, and that it could have gone on a great deal longer. I think it should still be on now.”

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Nancy Brown
Associate Editor

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